Metal surfaces of many consumer products are often protected with a thin film of metal oxide. The metal oxide is generally harder than the underlying metal and thus provides a protective coating for the metal. Often, the metal oxide film is formed using an anodizing process. Anodizing is an electrolytic process that increases the thickness of a natural oxide layer on the surface of metal parts. The metal part to be treated forms an anode of an electrical circuit such that the surface of the metal part is converted to a metal oxide film, also referred to as an anodic film. The anodic film can also be used for a number of cosmetic effects. For example, techniques for colorizing anodic films have been developed that can provide an anodic film with a perceived color based. A particular color can be perceived when a light of a particular range of frequencies is reflected off the surface of the anodic film.
In some cases, it can be desirable to form an anodic film having a white color. However, conventional attempts to provide white appearing anodic films have resulted in anodized films that appear to be off-white, muted grey, and yellowish white instead of a crisp appearing white that many people find appealing.